Mystic Vinland 4

There are a number of local breweries that put out series of one-off or infrequent beers that I look forward to and will buy as soon as I see a new release. At the top of this list is probably the Vinland Series by Mystic Brewery in Chelsea. The term “terrior” is very popular with wine, it is the flavors that are imparted into the grapes by the region where they are grown. Terrior is one of the reasons why a chardonnay from California is very different from a French version, and some wine aficionados can even taste the differences between vinyards that are only a few miles apart. Mystic uses the Vinland Series to show that beer can have the same type of terrior, especially when the yeast is harvested locally. The first three beers in the series used yeast strains isolated from local fruits. It was amazing how the yeast imparted some of the flavors you associate with the fruit into the beer even though no fruit was added. Vinland 4 is slightly different, it was spontaneously fermented using yeast from locally grown barley. Mystic is developing a wild/spontaneous fermentation program similar to the lambic style of Belgium, and Vinland 4 is an example of this style. Mystic Vinland 4 is available for a limited time on draft and in 750 mL bottles.

Mystic Vinland 4 pours a hazy golden yellow with a small white head. The scent is all wild yeast, acidic and funky. The microbes are the star on the palate as well, notes of green apple, lemon, some Brett-like barnyard/horse blanket and just a little sour tingle. Some lighter malts add body along with hints of whole grain bread and biscuits. There is minimal hop character, this beer is designed to let the wild yeast shine. Vinland 4 is light and easy to drink at 6% ABV. The finish is dry with some of the complex yeast flavors lingering on the tongue. I am a fan of the wild ale style and this is a very solid version. I personally preferred some of the other Vinland beers, it was interesting to taste some of the flavors imparted by yeast from a specific fruit, but the bar had been set incredibly high for this series and this beer is still very good. I will still look forward to each Vinland release, and I might grab a couple more bottles of this to see how it changes over time. Hoppy Boston score: 4.25/5.